Portable building unit



March 26, 1935.

S. G. MATTHEWS PORTABLE BUILDING UNITY Filed Feb. 6, 1932 O ooo'oo '5Sheets-Sheet 1 March 26,1935. s G, M'AT H Ew-s v 1,995,573

PORTABLE BUILDING UNIT Fiied Feb. 6, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J3 is A March26, 1935. 5 MATTHEWS 1,995,573

PORTABLE BUILDING UNIT Filed Feb. 6, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lg/K .F/ 0.0-f 11% If "IL *M 0k 5; war/1e s March 26, 1935.

s. G. MATTHEWS 1,995,573 PORTABLE BUILDING UNIT Filed Feb. 6, 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 4 OOOOLIL DOOOOO OOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO m 005000000090OOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOGOOG a y W V March 26, 1935. 5. G, MATTHEWS 1,995,573

PORTABLE BUILDING UN I T FiledFeb. 6, 1952 5 sheets-sheet -5 PatentedMar. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to George A.

W. Va.

Application February 6,

1 Matthews, Charleston,

1932, Serial No; 591,405

3 Claims. (01. 189-1 This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in the construction of truly portable buildings andbuilding units.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a building orbuilding unit having certain Icaturcsof construction which will permitcomplete fabrication thereof at the plant and which may be transportedfully assembled and equipped to a destination as a unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a building structure asset forth having sufficient inherent rigidity to withstand strainsattending transportation. raising, or'any movement thereof as a completeunit.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a building or structureunit as set forth, having a novel construction permitting theinterchangeability of any one or more wall units with any other wallunit or units in any other part of the same or similar buildings orunits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction unit as setforth which may be readily utilized in conjunction with another unit orunits of substantially similar construction to provide a building ofpractically any desired shape 01 SIZE.

Another object of the invention is to provide a building wherein thehorizontal measurementsare of substantially equal dimensions or amultiple of that particular dimension.

' Other features and details of the invention are set forth hereinafterand disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a. building or building unit havingcertain sections removed therefrom to disclose the novel features ofconstruction thereof;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in plan elevation showing a plurality ofthe building units assembled to form a building of substantial size;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the method of joining twoadjacent units in assembling a building of the type shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic front elevation view showing alternativeassemblies to which the building units may be adapted;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a multi-story building assembled from a,plurality of the building units;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical view in section of the buildingdisclosed in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical view in section through the buildingshown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the area bounded by the circle a in Fig.6;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the area bounded by the circle b in Fig.'7

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of the areas bounded by the circles c inFig. 6;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the areas bounded by the circles 11 inFig. '7;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of the area bounded by the circle ejn Fig.7; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of the area bounded by the'circle f in Fig.7.

Referring now to the drawings, and with particular attention to Fig. 1thereof, a building or unit made in accordance with the presentinvention comprises a pairof longitudinal base runner members 1, 1which, for purposes of rigidity, 15 are preferably of I-beam crosssection. A plurality of similar support beams 2 are disposedintermediate the beams 1, 1 and transversely with respect thereto. Theaforementioned beam members 1 and 2 are preferably provided ineachinstance with a series of aligned apertures 3 to permit entranceinto the building of such service lines as gas and water piping andelectrical wire conduits for lighting and telephone connections.

It should be noted that the apertures formed in '25 the supporting beamsdo'not sufficiently lessen the strength of said beams as to materiallyeffect the rigidity thereof and tend to lighten the construction.

The side wall framework of the building unit comprises a plurality oftubular posts 5 extending vertically upward from the longitudinalsupport beam 1, 1 and the'extreme members of the transversely positionedsupport beams 2 at substantially equal spaced intervals. -A roof orupper floor structure rests upon the upper extremities of the spacedposts 5 and comprises the longitudinal and transverse beam members 6 and7 similar to the construction of the base support structure.

In the present instance, a horizontal structur-- a1 member 8 in the formof a tube is rigidly secured intermediate each of the upright members 5adjacent the roof or upper floor structure of the framework. Aisecondhorizontally positioned member 9 is detachably secured intermediate eachof the upright members 5, the said-members 9 being vertically spacedfrom and approximately midway between the structural members 8 and theground or other base structure upon which it is desired to rest thebuilding or building unit.

The members comprising the base and roof structures, theiupright posts5, and the upper horizontally positioned struts 8, in the present 56 orby bolts and the like. On the other hand, and

for reasons to be set forth in detail hereinafter, it is particularlydesirable that the horizontal strut members 9 be readily removable andrespectively interchangeable from the positions intermediate the posts5. This may be accomplished in any well known manner such .as bymeans ofbolts.

The material for the floor and roof or upper flooring 10 and 11respectively rests in the present instance upon the upper faces of thetransverse support beams 2 and '7 respectively and may be securedthereto in any manner suitable to the particular installation. Theceiling or inner surface 12 of the building or unit is secured to theunder side of the transverse support beams 7 and is provided with anumber of suitably positioned open'grating areas as at 13, for thepurposes of ventilation which will be set. forth more in detailhereinafter.

The outer wall surface of the building comprises a plurality of panels,window frames, doors and the like. The spaces intermediate thehorizontal members 8 and the longitudinally positioned roof beams 6 arecovered in the present instance by either hinged transom windows 14 orby solid panels 15, as, and in the particular locations about the upperportion of the building that the particular member may be desired. Thewall of the building intermediate the'horizontal struts 8 and 9 is madeof solid panel units 16, or completely fabricated window frames 17 whichare interchangeably secured in the respective positions preferably bymeans of bolts, screws or the like. The side walls of the building,below the horizontal strut members 9 and intermediate the successiveupright posts 5 are, in each instance,

covered by a solid panel unit 18, which is removably attached theretoand extends a suitable distance below the longitudinal base beam 1,effecting a skirt-like arrangement for the purpose 'of concealing thestructural members of the base structure.

The solid panel units 16 and 18 forming in part the side walls of thebuilding, comprise in the present instance, inner and outer panelsheeting, the space intermediate the sheets being filled with suitableheat insulating material as at 19.

A door or doors 20 may be positioned in any space or spaces intermediateadjacent upright posts 5, and it should be noted that when a door ordoors are so positioned, it is necessary that the horizontal strutmember 9 be removed from the position thereof intermediate theparticular upright posts.

The particular feature of the building resides in the novel constructionof the members and panels constituting the side walls thereof, whichpermits each structural member thereof constituting a wall surface, tobe readily interchangeable with every other analogous or similar memberof the building, as, for example, suppose that it is desired to changethe position of a window 1'7 residing in one of the side walls of thebuilding to a position in one of the end faces of the building which, atthe present time is solidly paneled. Since the window frames occupy aposition intermediate the horizontal strut members 8 and 9 respectivelyand two adjacent upright posts 5, it is only necessary to remove one ofthe similarly positioned wall panel sections 16 comprising inner andouter panel members, and interchange the window frame 17 with thedesired panel wall structure 16.

By the above construction, a building or build. ing unit, as described,may be faced on a lot or a space of ground in a manner suited to thatparticular site; and when removed from one position to another on thatlot, or to another lot,

should the relative position of-said building with respect to the lotnot be adapted to the particular facings of the building, the structure,by reason of the novel interchangeability of the wall units, makespossible the ready adaptation of the said building to the new positionor location thereof.

Further let it be supposed that it is desired to position a door 20 nowresiding in one side wall of the building, to a position in another wallor the same wall at the present time covered by solid panels 16 and 18.In such a case, it is only necessary to remove all of the wall unitintermediate adjacent upright posts 5 and below the particularhorizontal strut member 8 including the detachable horizontal strutmember 9. The above described solid panel sections and strut 9, whendetached, may be readily interchanged in the building with the door 20.It will be noted that by the novel construction herein set forth,utilizing substantially equal horizontal dimensions between thestructural members, that, by the use of a suitable templet, thestructural units comprising the entire building may be suitably drilledor tapped, making available the interchangeable features set forth.

In order that the building unit may be adequately insulated against bothheat and cold, it may be desirable to insert suitable insulatingmaterial in the tubular members comprising the side wall framework, andalso intermediate the inner and outer wall surface panels as at 19.

The building or building unit herein described, may be of any lateraldimensions which are whole multiples of the particular dimension betweenthe successively spaced upright posts 5. It has been found that the mostdesirable basic horizontal measurement in the construction of theframework and panels has been found after considerable experiment to bethree (3) feet, and that at this measurement it is possible to obtain atemplet that would permit tapping or drilling of the structural membersso that each would be readily interchangeable with any other similar oranalogous member.

In general practice the buildings or building units set forth areentirely completed and equipped at the plant in sizes that will permitthem to be transported in accordance.with State and municipalregulations, a building or building unit in the process of suchfabrication is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Another particular feature of the building or building unit asdescribed, resides in the adaptability thereof to many buildingrequirements. For instance, the unit which we shall hereinafterdesignate as unit A, and disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, may beutilized in itself as a. small store, station, or any other use notrequiring extensive floor space. On the other hand the unit as describedis as readily adaptable to industries and other uses requiring extensivefloor space and a relatively large building. A requirement such as theabove may be fulfilled by providing a number of completed or partiallycompleted and equipped building units as shown in Fig. 1 and deliveringsaid units on the location of the desired building, the said buildingunits being summarily joined end to end or side, or in any other mannersuitable to produce a complete building having the floor shape desired.It will be obvious that in the construction of the assembled unitscertain of the posts, struts and panels must, of necessity, beeliminated at the place of jointure with another unit so thatacontinuous and open expanse of floor space will be effected in thecompleted building. The floor plan of a building so assembled, is shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Furthermore, by merely adding or removing a building unit from theassembly, the said building may be increased or decreased in size, andit should be particularly noted that the addition of units thereto maybe made at any point on the outer wall surface and that doors-windowsand panels may be interchangedor inserted at any desired location tomeet requirements and conditions that may arise at any time.

To securely join the building units in the manner set forth above, thesaid units are placed adjacent one another and bolts 21 arepassedthrough corresponding apertures 3 in the outer base and roof beammembers of the adjacent units and are subsequently tightened, thusdrawing the units securely and tightly together. To effectively seal theroofs of the respective units at the line of jointure against theelements of nature, the lip of the roof of one of the adjacent units iscut down to enable the normal lip on the other building unit to be bentover and about the first lip as shown in Fig.3 of the drawings.

The butting panels at the joints in the side walls of the joined unitsare faced with a suitable stripping which is detachably secured to thepaneling and the other side wall structural members and effectivelyseals the walls of the building and affords a finished appearance to theexterior thereof.

Certain appendages, such as vestibules or the like, may be readily addedat suitable locations and consist of an entirely complete building unitof proper dimensions, that is, the basic measurement as set forth, or amultiple thereof, which may be assembled at the plant and transported tothe site of the building.

The building or building unit constituting this invention is capable ofuse in assembling buildings or structureshaving more than one floorlevel,

.and may be accomplished by successively superimposing one or more ofthe units on a base or ground floor unit as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. When units of the character set forth are to be utilized in amulti-floor structure, certain minor structural changes must beincorporated in each of the units, otherwise the said units aresubstantially similar to that previously described and embody all of thenovel features of the invention. A structure consisting of but twostories or floor levels comprises units 3 and D, the base and upperunits respectively and a structure hav-=v ing, say three floorscomprises units B, C, and D, rising in the order named. The particulardesignatory characters of the units are used for the purpose of betterillustrating the aforementionedminor structural changes required in eachof the particular units when used in multi-floored strucstantiallygreater height than the longitudinal structure of the unit B beingsubstantially as in the previously described unit A and shows in Figs. 8and 90f the drawings.

Similarly in the building unit C to permit the port of unit C areeliminatedand the unit is constructed with merely the longitudinal beamsl and end beams 2a'which in the present instance are channel members incontrast to the I-beam members employed in the unit A. In positioningthe unit C in superimposed relation with respect to the lower unit Bthelower faces of the flanges of the base support beams of unit C rest uponthe upper faces of the flanges of the corresponding beams in the upperfloor support structure of the unit B as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Theupper unit is secured in position by means of bolts (not shown) whichpass through the contacting flanges and maintain therelative positionsthereof with respect to each other. l

The upper floor support structure of the unit C is substantially thesame as that described in connection with the unit 13 and in a similarmanner the base support structure of unit D is the same. as thatdescribed for the base structure of the unit C. The roof structure oftheunit D is substantially the same as the roof structure embe that oneherein designated as D. It follows the upward addition of units at somefuture date,

instead of delivering a unit of the type designated as A, which is notarranged for the superimposition of units thereon, a unit of thestructural type B may be delivered and provided with a temporary roofstructure which may be removed at the proper time to permit the additionof units D, or C and D respectively, as may be desired. The spaceintermediate the side walls of the respectively superimposed buildingunits are finished by providing the panel or sheet 23, the upper edge ofwhich is arranged to engage'the recess formed bythe offset portion ofthe lower edge of the wall panels of the upper unit as at 22. The loweredge of the panel strip 23 is similarly offset as at 22a to permit thepanel 23 to overlap the side wall panel units of the lower unit. TheJoints are made secureby' means of screws (not shown) which pass throughthe overlying portions of the panels and engage the wood members 24placed in position for the purpose of receiving the screws.

The building or building unit herein described,

may have further, adaptations, and certain minor details of constructionmay be incorporated in the structure other than set forth; and it is notintended that the extent of modification shall be restricted except-asset forth in the appended claims. 1

What is claimed is: v

1. A building unit, adapted for portability as an assembled structure,including a base structure and a roof structure each comprisinglongitudinal and transverse stringer members rigidly and permanentlysecured together, upright members extending between the base and roofstructures in predetermined minimum spaced relation to each other andrigidly and permanently secured at their ends to said base and roofstructure respectively, strut members rigidly and permanently securedparallel to and spaced from the base and roof structures intermediatethe said uprights, other strut members arranged for detachable mountingparallel to and spaced from the first mentioned struts and the basestructure and intermediate predetermined upright members, panel unitsdetachably mounted in the spaces intermediate the rigid strut membersand the roof structure and the upright members, panel units detachablymounted in predetermined spaces intermediate the rigid strut members,the detachable strut members, and the uprights; and. panel unitsdetachably mounted in predetermined spaces bounded by the detachablestruts, the base structure, and the uprights, the corresponding panelunits being relatively interchangeable, one with another.

2. A building unit, adapted for portability as an assembled structure,including a base structure and a roof structure each comprisinglongitudinal and transverse stringer members rigidly and permanentlysecured together, upright members extending between the base and roofstructures in predetermined minimum spaced relation to each other andrigidly and permanently secured at their ends to said base and roofstructure respectively, strut members rigidly and permanently securedparallel to and spaced from the base and roof structures intermediatethe said uprights, other strut members arranged for detachable mountingparallel to and spaced from the first mentioned struts and the basestructure and intermediate predetermined upright members, panel unitsdetachably mounted in the spaces intermediate the rigid strut membersand the roof structure and the uprightmembers, panel units detachablymounted in predetermined spaces intermediate the rigid strut members,the detachable strut members, and the uprights; panel units detachablymounted in predetermined spaces bounded by the detachable struts, thebase structure, and the uprights, and panel units detachably mounted inpredetermined spaces bounded by the rigid strut members, the basestructure, and the uprights; the latter panels being readilyinterchangeable with any corresponding panel and strut assembly in thebuilding.

3. A building unit, adapted for portability as an assembled structure,including a base structure and a roof structure each comprisinglongitudinal and transverse stringer members rigidly and permanentlysecured together, upright tubular members extending between the base androof structures in predetermined minimum spaced relation to each otherand rigidly and permanently secured at their ends to said base and roofstructure respectively, tubularv strut members rigidly and permanentlysecured parallel to and spaced from the base and roof structuresintermediate the said uprights, other tubular strut members arranged fordetachable mounting parallel to and spaced from the first mentionedstruts and the base structure and intermediate predetermined uprightmembers, panel units detachably mounted in the spaces intermediate therigid strut members and the roof structure and the upright members,panel units detachably mounted in predetermined spaces intermediate therigid strut members, the detachable strut members, and the uprights;panel units detachably mounted in predetermined spaces bounded by thedetachable struts, the base structure, and the uprights, and panel unitsdetachably mounted in predetermined spaces bounded by the rigid strutmembers, the base structure, and the uprights, the latter panels beingreadily interchangeable with any corresponding panel and strut assemblyin the building.

SIDNEY GORDON MATTHEWS.

